Invincible Summer

Winter in Nebraska is filled both with beauty and with longing. We can go days without seeing the sun which makes us crave a little light and warmth. I love the sight of my breath against the frosty air and the ice settled down upon bare tree branches. Leaves replaced by frost; green grass turned brown, dormant until Spring returns.  Even while dormant and bare, nature is still thriving and glorious.  The soil, having been worked and harvested, takes the opportunity to rest and restore.

Underneath the surface of winter's snow and chill are the buds of Spring. Behind the gloomy clouds and desolate skies of gray is a sun just waiting to bring the thaw and the brightness of a new day.  Winter is a season of rest and a season that tests our ability to survive. Those things that know trying to survive is futile either hibernate or go dormant. Some even migrate.

Just as seasons change, so do our emotions and our situations. We can feel like our days will forever be gloomy and dark. Our daily stresses and anxiety can chill us to the bone. Light, soft snow is magical and inspiring...until the snow falls heavy and wet and the wind blows. All of the sudden we go from enjoying the moment to the surreal horror that we've just entered a blizzard of shit.

What can we take away from a season so filled with beauty, dormancy, and challenge?  As I was writing this post, I approached it from the perspective that winter is tough and cold and icy and I hate it. It's crazy cold today, and I'm fighting through a migraine that put me in a fussy mood. But now, after typing the words above, I realized that winter is so full of potential and the chance to make your own light. I've been too harsh, winter, and I am sorry.

Winter is a proving grounds both for nature and for our spiritual well being.  It is a test to see how much light we can make for ourselves. It is the opportunity to say, "Fuck it! I'm hibernating!" and just shut the world out for awhile. Enjoy your family, cozy up with them, cuddle the dogs, and drink some cocoa.

Winter can be isolating and lonely. No one wants to venture out in the cold, and driving conditions can be brutal. I believe, though, that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Having some time away from plans and people and socializing makes me remember how much I miss a friend's laugh. It makes me look forward to getting together and playing a game of Cards Against Humanity after drinking a bottle of wine (or four) with a big group around the kitchen table.

Maybe winter is really a season not of longing but of anticipation.

So, friends, I hope that as winter progresses you will, like me, find a warm place in your heart for winter. Inside your heart is an invincible summer!